Mercedes-Benz has officially introduced the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission with torque converter in its new E 350 BlueTEC.

The transmission, called 9G-Tronic, will be mated to a six-cylinder diesel engine that will help improve the E 350 BlueTEC’s fuel efficiency. The E 350 BlueTEC will have 252 horsepower from the 3.0-liter, V6 diesel engine.

But the important story revolves around the 9G-Tronic transmission which has a broad ratio spread of 9.15 for gears one to nine, enabling a clearly perceptible reduction in engine speed, enhancing energy efficiency and overall ride comfort in the vehicle. According to the German automaker, the entire package also cuts down external noise by up to four decibels. Technically speaking, the E 350 BlueTEC will be able to travel at 75 mph in ninth gear at an engine speed of around 1,350 rpm.

It wasn’t just all about cramming nine gears into a new automatic transmission however. The engineers also worked on a compact, lightweight construction for the transmission allowing it to require as little installation space as its predecessor and is lighter.

The nine-speed transmission will be available in Europe on the E 350 BlueTEC, but there’s no definitive word yet on when or if it’ll be coming to the U.S.

GALLERY: Mercedes 9G-Tronic Transmission

]]>http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/07/mercedes-e-350-bluetec-introduces-nine-speed-automatic.html/feed1more]]>Mercedes Nine-Speed Automatic Coming to US Soon?http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/07/mercedes-nine-speed-automatic-coming-to-us-soon.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/07/mercedes-nine-speed-automatic-coming-to-us-soon.html#commentsTue, 23 Jul 2013 15:32:06 +0000http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/?p=207068Mercedes Nine-Speed Automatic Coming to US Soon? It’s been years since rumors of a nine-speed transmission from Mercedes-Benz started emerging, and now buyers can finally drive one… in Europe. Clicking through the company’s German consumer site reveals that the E 350 BlueTEC sedan is now being sold with a nine-speed automatic. Not so in the U.S., where E-Class customers are still... more]]>

It’s been years since rumors of a nine-speed transmission from Mercedes-Benz started emerging, and now buyers can finally drive one… in Europe.

Clicking through the company’s German consumer site reveals that the E 350 BlueTEC sedan is now being sold with a nine-speed automatic. Not so in the U.S., where E-Class customers are still offered a seven-speed automatic.

Adding two speeds will improve efficiency over the current unit while remaining simpler and lighter than dual-clutch transmissions favored through much of the premium car segment. Mercedes isn’t alone in offering a nine-speed gearbox either. Land Rover debuted a same-numbered slushbox during this year’s Geneva Motor Show developed by ZF.

That should raise one question among U.S. Benz buyers: when will nine-speed Mercedes products arrive here?

The fact that Mercedes is offering it in the E-Class is a strong indicator that the same can be expected for North America. Then again, the car just received a full refresh for 2013. The CLS, on the other hand, is a strong candidate. Mercedes is working on a face-lifted version for 2014, likely to arrive in the fall of that year.

It could make sense for the company to package its nine-speed transmission in the upmarket CLS. Placed there, it would serve as a further selling point for the car, which is based on the E-Class but capable of commanding a higher markup.

Mercedes is currently only offering its German customers a rear-wheel drive model with the new transmission, which should serve as a strong indicator of what to expect in the U.S. Don’t be surprised if a 4Matic all-wheel drive model follows soon after.

]]>http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/07/mercedes-nine-speed-automatic-coming-to-us-soon.html/feed0more]]>Land Rover to Debut 9-Speed Transmission at Geneva Motor Showhttp://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/02/land-rover-to-debut-9-speed-transmission-at-geneva-motor-show.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/02/land-rover-to-debut-9-speed-transmission-at-geneva-motor-show.html#commentsWed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:29 +0000http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/?p=183713Land Rover to Debut 9-Speed Transmission at Geneva Motor ShowAt the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover will debut the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission, developed in partnership with ZF, a world leader in transmission technology. Called the ZF 9HP, the world’s first nine-speed automatic for a passenger car is specifically designed for transverse applications and will be one of the most efficient and... more]]>

At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover will debut the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission, developed in partnership with ZF, a world leader in transmission technology.

Called the ZF 9HP, the world’s first nine-speed automatic for a passenger car is specifically designed for transverse applications and will be one of the most efficient and technically advanced transmissions ever used in a production vehicle. Leading the way in technological advancements on the 9HP is a skip-shift function that allows for much faster downshifting under rapid deceleration.

Not only will the vehicles benefit from the ninth gear in terms of fuel efficiency, the lower engine revs will also improve comfort and reduce engine noise when cruising at high speeds. Even more impressive is that the 9HP is less than 0.24 inches longer while weighing 16.5 pounds less than the outgoing six-speed transmission.

“We are extremely excited about the 9HP which has been tailored exactly to dovetail with the unique attributes of our vehicles. It will add another layer of performance, refinement and efficiency, further enhancing Land Rover’s world class abilities,” said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

GALLERY: Range Rover Evoque with 9-Speed Transmission

]]>http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/02/land-rover-to-debut-9-speed-transmission-at-geneva-motor-show.html/feed0more]]>2014 Chrysler 200 to Redefine Chrysler Design Languagehttp://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/01/2014-chrysler-200-to-redefine-chrysler-design-language.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/01/2014-chrysler-200-to-redefine-chrysler-design-language.html#commentsFri, 18 Jan 2013 17:31:19 +0000http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/?p=1773872014 Chrysler 200 to Redefine Chrysler Design LanguageRalph Gilles is probably known better for his hand in the 2013 SRT Viper, but when he isn’t overseeing the SRT brand, he’s also Chrysler’s chief designer. Donning the less exciting of his two hats, Gilles told Ward’s Auto that the 2014 Chrysler 200 will herald a new design language for the brand – something he... more]]>

Ralph Gilles is probably known better for his hand in the 2013 SRT Viper, but when he isn’t overseeing the SRT brand, he’s also Chrysler’s chief designer.

Donning the less exciting of his two hats, Gilles told Ward’s Auto that the 2014 Chrysler 200 will herald a new design language for the brand – something he says it couldn’t be farther from representing now.

“The current Chryslers on the road today certainly don’t reflect where we’re headed,” he said. “What I can safely say is we are deviating from where we are today, completely. It’s a very different feeling [and] look. [The new 200] shares no surface language with any previous Chrysler we’ve ever seen.”

While he didn’t elaborate on what direction the styling will go for the 200 and ultimately the Chrysler brand, Gilles did says he felt the vehicle will be “beautiful and relevant;” two things it currently isn’t.

If Chrysler is aiming to compete against midsize cars making a splash on the market now, it will be locking horns with the likes of the 2013 Ford Fusion. Last year, Ford debuted its new sedan wearing what’s called the Aston grille for obvious reasons. While that still can’t offer hints at what Chrysler has up its sleeve, it at least offers an idea of how far the design will need to go to make a splash.

When the car debuts, it’s expected to have a nine-speed automatic transmission while power will remain sourced from a 2.4-liter four cylinder and a larger V6. Previous reports suggest Chrysler is spending a whopping $2 billion to revamp the 200 – a number that makes more sense given what’s likely to be a design language applied across the brand.

Looking more specifically at the 200, Chrysler is aiming to move the 200 from an afterthought in the midsize segment to a front runner with 38 mpg thanks to the new transmission. The interior is also expected to improve dramatically with more luxurious trim like quilted leather upholstery.

]]>http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/01/2014-chrysler-200-to-redefine-chrysler-design-language.html/feed0more]]>ZF Transmissions CEO Says Nine Gears is Enoughhttp://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/11/zf-transmissions-ceo-says-nine-gears-is-enough.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/11/zf-transmissions-ceo-says-nine-gears-is-enough.html#commentsWed, 07 Nov 2012 18:32:24 +0000http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/?p=164676ZF Transmissions CEO Says Nine Gears is EnoughAccording to ZF Friedrichshafen CEO Stefan Sommer, nine gears in a transmission is the “natural limit,” and should be the magic number to end the race to add more gears. Efficiency gains in automatic transmissions have gone from an arguably secondary concern a few years ago to one of the foremost weapons in the fuel efficiency... more]]>

According to ZF Friedrichshafen CEO Stefan Sommer, nine gears in a transmission is the “natural limit,” and should be the magic number to end the race to add more gears.

Efficiency gains in automatic transmissions have gone from an arguably secondary concern a few years ago to one of the foremost weapons in the fuel efficiency battle. It wasn’t long ago that four- and five-speed automatics ruled the roost, but with purse strings tightening, regulators and customers alike are demanding better fuel economy.

“There is no hard line, but you have to consider the law of diminishing returns. The question is whether adding even more gears makes sense,” Sommer told Automobilwoche. Going beyond nine gears adds more weight and technical complexity to the transmission, which will detract more fuel efficiency than it gains.

Julio Caspari, head of ZF in North America has said in the past that the race to add more gears is more a demand from marketing, rather than actual efficiency gains, as the most efficient transmission today is only 11 percent from being a “theoretically perfect transmission.”

]]>http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/11/zf-transmissions-ceo-says-nine-gears-is-enough.html/feed0more]]>Ford, GM Team Up to Develop Nine and 10 Speed Transmissionshttp://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/09/ford-gm-team-up-to-develop-nine-and-10-speed-transmissions.html
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/09/ford-gm-team-up-to-develop-nine-and-10-speed-transmissions.html#commentsSat, 29 Sep 2012 17:28:09 +0000http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/?p=158347Ford, GM Team Up to Develop Nine and 10 Speed TransmissionsDespite beliefs by transmission manufacturer ZF’s president that the race to add transmission gears is close to the limit, General Motors and Ford are teaming up to jointly develop new nine-speed and 10-speed transmissions. The partnership between two of America’s largest automakers aims to build transmissions to use across their lineups in hopes of maximizing... more]]>

The partnership between two of America’s largest automakers aims to build transmissions to use across their lineups in hopes of maximizing fuel economy. GM is in charge of developing a nine-speed transmission for front-wheel drive applications while Ford is focusing on a 10-speed transmission for rear-wheel drive vehicles such as pickup trucks, SUVs, and performance cars.

Development began earlier this year, but is still currently in the design phase. The automakers are hoping to begin production before 2015 however. Details on the agreement were not announced, but a GM spokesman did confirm that the automakers are in discussions and have signed a memorandum of understanding on the project. A definitive agreement is expected to be announced soon.

It’ll be even more interesting to see if this relationship blossoms to something greater. A manufacturing alliance wouldn’t be entirely out of the question, and could help boost both automakers’ production and development.